Switch signal



Sept. 14 192.6. 1,599,501

P. 'SWANSON SWITCH SIGNAL 1 2-75? SWANSON.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SWITCH SIGNAL P. SWANSON Filed NOV. 5, 1925 f f/f P g tg I Sept. 14 1926.

Patented Sept, l i, i926.

warren stares PETER SWANSON, OF ELY, MINNESOTA.

swrrcn Application filed November This invention relates to switchsignaling devices and has special reference to a novel arrangement oftarget and lamp for railroad switches.

The principal object is to provide amore efficient and reliablesignaling device for such switches.

by to prevent accident in the event of the switch being left unlockedeven though not thrown to dangerous position;

Another object is to provide an auxiliary target for the common railroadswitch affording the additional advantages to such common switch aboveset forth.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the further description ofthe invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts:a V

Figure 1 is an elevation of the switch target, or signaling device in anall clear position; i V

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the danger signalin the event of theswitch being left unlocked even though turned for all clear position,forthe main line;

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating the target and lamp signalingthat the siding is open, or danger for the main line;

Figure a is a modified form of mount ng of the novel signaling device onthe switch target;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the automatic lock;and

Figure 6 is a similar view partly in section taken on line 66, Figure 5.

At 1 is illustrated an ordinary switch stand, provided with an openinglever or switch handle 2, pivoted as 3, to the supporting links 4-, andby which the swltcli is thrown, the lever 52 being pivoted as at 5 uponthe switch stock 6, which is rotated in either direction when the leveris raised subsequent to the unlocking of same.

In my present invention the locking lug 7 is formed with a channel ornotch 8 upon one side thereof for the reception of the auxiliary targetoperating rod 9.

10 represents a common swltch target mounted upon the staff 11 and theauxiliary target rod is held in permanent relation thereto by means ofthe strap bearing 12v clamped about the staff, 11 just above the stock6, so that the lower end of the target SIGNAL.

5; 1925. Serial No. 67,064.

rod 9 is at all times held in position within the notch or channel 8 inthe switch lug, tliough of course permitted to reciprocate freelyvertically.

Upon the upper spaced extremities of the common signal target 10 isattached the auxiliary target, it being in cross-sectional Anotherobject is to provide means whereappearance of inverted U-shape, the: twovertical walls being in the form'of an arrow as illustrated at 13, andthe horizontal or intermediate portion being flat and rectangularinshape as indicated at 14, it extending beyond the head of the arrows13. The pivotal connection of the auxiliary target with the commonupright one is indicated at15, the same occurring on the shafts of thearrows 13 and upon suitable angularly shaped clips or lugs 16 which areriveted to the corners of the common target.

The rod 9 for operating the auxiliary target is pivotally'connected'asat-17 to a rearwardly projecting arm or lug 18 at the rear ofv theauxiliary target and adjacent the switch staff 11. By this -means'it isapparent that when auxiliary target is in the position shown either inFigures 1 or 2 the rod 9 will be in its depressed or lowermost position,while when the auxiliary target is down showing a dangerous condition ofthe switch the rod 9 will be in its most elevated position.

To the rearinost ed e of the central portion 14 of the auxiliary targetare attached two rearwardly projecting lugs indicated at 19 and towhichlugs are attached the lugs 20 of the lamp screen 21. This screen ismounted in such a manner as to vertlcally reciprocate in front of andformed to act as V a screen for the lantern 22, it having a lowermosthole in it coveredwith a red glass as indicated at 23, and an. uppermosthole covered with a green glass as indicated at 24:, so that when theauxiliary target drops the screen or shield 21 will be raised brings ingthe red light 23 in front of the lantern thus showing a red light tocoincide with the danger signal. This screen 21 may be held-in uprightposition in any desired manner, as for example by the forked bracket 25rigidly fixed as at 26 to the switch staff 11.

The application of my improved auxiliary target above described is thatof one applied to a common switch target as used on some railroads, forexample, in the State of Minnesota, where the faceappearance of thecommon target indicates a clear right target is of the same constructionas above described, except that it is mounted upon and at right anglesto the common target, the samerequiring angular brackets 27 upon thetarget staff 11 for the pivotal support of the auxiliary target which asbefore stated is ldentical with and of the same construction as thatshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,

it carrying the two spacedarrows'13 and intermediate portion 14:, and isoperated in identically the same 11121111161.- The common target 1n.this instance is indicated at 28, it presenting an edge view instead ofa front or back view in respect to the mounting of the auxiliary target,the lantern and its control being identical to that shown in the otherfigures of the drawings.

Mounted upon the operating handle 2 is a lockhousing indicated at 29,which contains the automatic locking device, the latter comprisingthehorizontally operator crooked finger shaped bolt pivotally mounted'upon the vertically disposed pin 31, said bolt'being held in lockedposition as shown in Figure 5 by means of the expansive helical springwhich presses against a suitable step in the side wall of the housing 29at one end and against the handle'end of the bolt 30 at the oppositeend, and controlled oppositely, or opened, bythe key 33. This key is ofthe ordinary type and pivotes upon the pin 34 suitably mounted withinthe lock.

The locking terminal of the bolt 30 is rounded in shape as at 35 so asto slip conveniently past the bevelled or rounded end 36 of the lug 7 ofthe switch stand, so

that when the handle 2 is raised upwardly away from the lug 7 of theswitch stand and is forced into locked position by the action of thespring 32 it will slip by the end of the lug 7 when the handle isdepressed ready for automatic engagement within the registering holes ofthe target operating rod 9and the lug 7; the former,

of course, having to be drawn downwardly by hand into such registeringposition before theswitch will or can be locked. Thus,

if left unlocked, the auxiliary target will show danger.

ing rod 9 is provided with an offset or;

stepped portion 38, which provides convenient means for grasping sameduring manipulation thereof, and also prevents the rod being loweredwhile the handle is in raised position, the elbow formed by such offsetengaging one side of the bifurcated handle 2 if attempt is made to lowerit while the handle is raised.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a common railroad switch stand having apivotally mounted switch handle for manipulation thereof, of anauxiliary target mounted upon said switch stand connected to andoperable by the switch handle, and means handle automatically operatesthe target,,

and means for automatically locking the said handle and auxiliarytarget.

3. In combination, a railroad switch hav ing a common target, anauxiliary target pivotally mounted upon the common tar-' get, a lockcarried upon the switch handle a rod for operating the auxiliary targetoperable by the locking and unlocking of the switch.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

PETER SWANSONQ

